1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to axial lead component dispensing heads and more specifically to adjustable devices for severing axial lead components from their transport medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Axial lead components, as used in industry, come from stock with the ends of the leads taped between parallel portions of links of adhesive tape taped to one another. The leads are longer than the insertion requirements so that they may be taped and handled.
Standard techniques encompass feeding the leads on a dispensing mechanism which presents them in a horizontal fashion after the ends, which have been taped, have been severed from the remaining or body portion of the lead. Such components are used in pantograph type insertion equipment and the tape sequencing and numerically controlled insertion equipment. The instant invention contemplates all of these uses and is essentially employed to sever the end portions of the leads and to present the components in their predetermined taped order.
One of the problems with existing equipment has been their inability to handle varying center distance components; in other words, the length of the axial leads from the components may vary depending on the center distance to be employed in the insertion apparatus itself. Center distance is defined as the distance between the holes in the printed circuit board into which the ends of the leads are bent and pushed and secured. In Europe, the Common Market, the center distance in numerous applications is a lot larger than the normal center distance used in domestic industry.
One device designed to solve these problems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,041 (Zemek et al), commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Zemek et al shows adjustment of the guide unit, advancement unit and severing unit by stopping the dispenser, loosening and sometimes removing the units from the support member and resecuring and attaching the units in their new position to the support member. Each unit comprises a pair of sub-units which must be adjusted individually to a limited number of selected positions. The adjustment is time consuming, which unduly and unnecessarily increases the downtime of the system in which the dispenser head is used. No adjustment is provided for off-center typed components.